Back on Track
by irishgirl9
Summary: *Contains spoilers for 5.13 Rush to Judgment* When the road gets bumpy, will Flack and Angell be able to work things out?


**A/N: **This story contains spoilers for Rush to Judgment. I was inspired to write this after watching last night's episode and it does not follow the time line of my Flack/Angell series.

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize, I do not own. The rest are figments of my imagination.

* * *

Ever since the IAB investigation into the wrestler's death, things had been strained, between Flack and Angell. Two weeks had passed since they were both interrogated by IAB and the detectives hadn't spoken to each other. Not since that moment, in the squad room, when Angell asked how IAB knew they were dating.

oooooOOOOooooo

Monkey in the middle that's me, thought Danny. Something was going on with Flack and Angell. Or rather something wasn't going on with them. He knew that those two were close, that maybe they were more than friends. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that how much they cared about each other. He'd heard some gossip through the hallways, but never participated in it. He figured they probably wanted to keep their relationship private for now and he could totally understand why. Relationships in the work place weren't always easy. But something must have gone wrong between the two of them because for the past two weeks, they seemed to be avoiding each other and wouldn't work a case together. It wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that somehow Danny get elected to be the middleman. Just the other day he and Flack were working a case of a home invasion gone wrong and it seemed to be related to something Angell was working on. Instead of talking to the raven haired detective himself, Flack had Danny scurrying messages back and forth. What are we in junior high? he thought.

Running, why are they always running? Just once, Danny would like it if the suspect didn't take off running when he saw a badge. He and Angell were investing a robbery and murder at a bodega not far from the crime lab. Pete's Market was where Danny got his caffeine fix each morning. They had tracked their suspect to his workplace in the meat packing district. As soon as his boss had pointed him out, the suspect took off running, slipping out a door into the alleyway behind the warehouse he worked in. Danny and Angell gave chase.

Danny was running as fast as he could when he heard a crash. Looking back he saw Angell on the ground and he stopped. "Jess, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Danny. Just keep after him."

Danny nodded and took off after the suspect. Angell wasn't really hurt, except for her pride. Damn, I can't believe I tripped over my own feet like that, she thought. Bracing her hands on the ground, Angell stood up only to feel a sharp sting in the palm of her left hand. A few swear words slipped out of her mouth as she brought her hand up for inspection. There was a gash on her palm about one and a half inches long and it was bleeding freely. Looking on the ground, Angell found a piece of metal that had a sharp edge to it. Must be what I cut my hand on, she realized.

"He got away," said Danny as he walked back towards Angell. The way she was holding her hand, Danny could tell something was wrong. "What happened?"

"I cut my hand." Hoping to stem the flow of blood, Angell clenched her fist tightly. She bit back a scream at the pain this cause.

Reaching into his pocket, Danny held out a handkerchief. Taking Angell's hand in his, he unclenched her fingers and inspected the cut before gently wrapping the handkerchief around it. "Looks like this gonna need stitches."

"A handkerchief? You are a true gentleman, Danny Messer." She knew Danny was right and that she was probably going to need stitches.

Danny blushed at Angell's words. "Do you know what you cut your hand on?"

Angell handed him the piece of metal.

"I'll take this to the lab and analyze for any bacteria."

oooooOOOOooooo

Staring at his phone, Danny debated on whether or not he wanted to call Flack. He was supposed to meet his friend for drinks that evening, but he wanted to head to the lab after Angell was finished up at the hospital and start analyzing the metal Angell cut herself on. The alleyway they were in was incredibly dirty as are most alleyways in the city. Who knew what kind of bacteria was teeming on the thing. Of course, this meant he had to cancel with Flack. Once again he was caught in the middle between Flack and Angell. But he knew it would be wrong to not call and cancel.

"Don, I can't make for drinks tonight," said Danny. "Something's come up."

"What's going on?"

"I'm at the hospital."

"Is it Lindsay? Everything's okay with the baby, right?"

"Don't worry, Lindsay's fine." Danny hesitated. Angell's gonna be pissed if I tell Flack, but screw it. He would want to know. "It's Jess."

"Oh God!" Please let her be okay, prayed Flack. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She tripped and cut her hand. She had to get a couple of stitches, but she's gonna be fine."

"What hospital are you at?"

"Don, you don't need to come down here."

"What hospital?"

oooooOOOOooooo

Sitting in the hospital bed waiting for the doctor to come back, Angell was thinking back to when she tripped. God, her brothers would have teased her mercilessly for tripping over her own feet. That never happened her. She was was a good runner. Four years of running track in high school saw to that. She couldn't help, but wonder what Flack's reaction would have been. More than once she had outrun him chasing a suspect and he would have had a laugh at her expense. Well, he wouldn't have been laughing when he saw she was hurt.

God, what is going on with us? She had missed Flack terribly these past two weeks, but couldn't bring herself to call him. She was hurt that he would think she was concerned with office gossip. She was worried about what could have happened to him. Maybe she could have worded it better, but Angell was genuinely shocked when the internal affairs guy brought up her relationship with Flack. And if she wasn't honest with herself, she was kind of pissed off. Who she dated was none of their business. Of course, Flack probably thought she was worried about how all of this could affect her career. She was worried about Flack. She knew how much his career meant to him. He was a good cop who prided himself on doing a good job. This could have ruined his career and if Angell's word meant nothing to IAB, she wouldn't have been able to help clear his name.

"Thank God," muttered Angell when she heard footsteps on the linoleum floor. Hopefully, it was the doctor and she could leave now. She was surprised when Flack walked into the room. "Don, what are doing here?"

"Danny called and told me you were here." Flack wanted to go over and put his arms around Angell, but hung back, not sure of the gesture would be appreciated. Seeing her sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, Flack realized how much he missed her these past two weeks.

"Yeah, well you didn't have to come down. I'm gonna be fine."

"What happened?"

"Danny and I were chasing after a suspect and I tripped. I cut my palm when I stood up."

"Were you gonna call me?" The words just seemed to slip out Flack's mouth and when he saw the look on Angell's face, he wished he could take then back.

"If I called, would you have picked up?" asked Angell, a tinge of anger in her voice.

"Of course, I would have," replied Flack. "Jess, that day a lot of things were going on and I was frustrated. Then you were worried about IA knowing we were dating and what that meant for you and I guess I snapped a little."

"I wasn't worried about IA knowing we're dating," said Angell. "I was worried about you."

"Huh?"

"What I said about my word not meaning squat with IA was because I was worried that they wouldn't believe me I said that you didn't do anything to Fleming. I was afraid that they would say that you got me to cover for you. I wasn't in the room, but I know you would never hurt that kid. I was worried that IAB would decide that you had done something.

Don had never felt more like a jerk than he did in that moment. Jess was worried about me and what do I do? I give her the cold shoulder. Crossing the room, Flack was at her side in an instant. "Jess, I'm so sorry. I acted like an idiot letting my anger with IAB cloud my judgment."

"It's okay. It was a stressful situation."

"That's no excuse for the way I've acted these past two weeks."

"Don, there was a lot going on."

"Still that's no excuse."

Don sat by the bed and put his arm around Angell intending to pull her close.

"Ow!"

"Jess, are you okay?" God, I hope I didn't hurt her.

"I'm okay. I had to get a tetanus shot and my arm's a little sore."

"Tetanus shot?"

"Yeah, I cut my palm on a piece of metal and since I couldn't remember when I had my last tetanus shot, the doctor gave me one as a precaution."

A piece of metal in an alleyway. Not doubt it was dirty. "Did he check for infections?"

"He prescribed me an antibiotic and Danny's taking the piece of metal to the lab to have it examined and see what kind of bacteria is on it."

Just then the doctor walked back into the room with Angell's prescription for an antibiotic. He had a few last minute instructions and then she was free to go.

"Do you want a lift home?" asked Flack.

"Nah, I'm just gonna take a cab?"

"I've got my car here, why don't you let me take you home?"

"Okay."

oooooOOOOooooo

Once back at her apartment, Angell wasn't ready for Flack to leave so she invited him and they were currently curled up on the sofa watching watching a Clint Eastwood movie on cable.

"I love these old cop movies," said Flack.

"Let me guess you always wanted to be Dirty Harry," said Angell with a chuckle.

It feels so good to hear her laugh, thought Flack. These past two weeks without Angell, Flack was miserable and he didn't want to experience that again. "Jess, I know I already apologized, but I want to say again how sorry I am for shutting you out. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either, Don," said Jess. "How about from now on, we try not to shut each other out? I don't want work to come between us again."

"I don't want that either." Flack looked into Angell's eyes feeling relieved that their relationship was back on track. Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. Quickly what started out as a gentle kiss became heated. It was as if they were making up for lost time. Eventually the need for air forced the two apart. "So, Jess, what's up with you tripping over your own feet?"

Jess couldn't help, but give a chuckle. She had been waiting for good natured ribbing from her boyfriend. Oh yeah, things were definitely back on track for them.

_The End_

Thanks for reading! Reviews are always greatly appreciated! Please let me know what you think.


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